municipal

c.1540, from M.Fr. municipal, from L. municipalis "of a citizen of a free town, of a free town," from municipium (nom. municeps, gen. municipis) "citizen, inhabitant of a free town." Second element is root of capere "assume, take" (see capable). First element is from munus (pl. munia) "service performed for the community, duty, work," also "public spectacle paid for by the magistrate, (gladiatorial) entertainment, gift," from O.L. moenus "service, duty, burden," from PIE *moi-n-es-, generally taken as a suffixed form of base *mei- "to change, go, move;" see mutable; but Tucker says "more probably" from the other PIE root *mei- meaning "bind," so that munia = "obligations" and communis = "bound together." A Roman municipum was a city whose citizens had the privileges of Roman citizens but was governed by its own laws. Municipality (1790) is from Fr. municipalité, introduced in Eng. by Edmund Burke.